Planning Ahead for Spring-Flowering Bulbs

Although they will not bloom for a while, now is the time to plant spring-flowering bulbs. These flowers are truly beautiful, but they must be planted this fall to achieve colorful results next spring. When choosing, purchasing and planting bulbs, you should keep a few things in mind to help insure your success.

Bulbs, by definition, are self-contained flowering units which come in height sizes from two inches tall to three feet tall. Their blooms come in a range of colors and shapes and are often the earliest signs of spring. Flowers from some commonly used bulbs include daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, Dutch iris and lilies. Some more unusual choices include snow drops, crocus, anemone, grape hyacinth, winter aconite, scilla, wood hyacinth, decorative onion, fritillaria and squill. These may be the harbingers of spring and be just the thing you are looking for.

When purchasing bulbs, buy from a dependable dealer to make sure the bulbs you receive are virus free and of proper size per their species. In addition, a good rule of thumb is to choose the highest priced bulbs you can afford (within reason, of course). This will hopefully assure you that the bulbs are the proper size for the best blooms and that they have met appropriate industry standards.

Before planting the bulbs this fall, choose sites that are well drained. If the soil is too wet, the bulbs can rot. Also, most bulbs require an area that has high light intensity for at least four hours per day on through their growing season. Don’t overlook the possibility that you can place bulbs beneath trees and in other areas that become shady in the mid to late summer. In the spring, though, these areas should still receive enough light to sustain the bulbs regenerative manufacturing processes. Finally, the bulbs will thrive with a complete, high phosphate fertilizer at recommended rates both pre-bloom and mid fall.

When these few things are taken care of, bulbs are really not too demanding. As an added bonus, most bulbs have relatively few insect or disease enemies.

To create an attractive design, plant them “en masse”. Choose bulbs of different sizes, colors and bloom time and plant them in the same grouping to allow for weeks’ worth of bloom in one spot. As a matter of fact, I have one or another of them blooming from the end of January through the end of May in given areas. When placing the bulbs, you might even try stacking them at planting time each at its own depth. If possible, plant the bulbs to the north of your point of view, and you’ll get a better display since the sun will bounce the color back at you.

Once these considerations have been taken, you have only to plant the bulbs according to each type’s specific depth instructions.. Keep in mind that different bulbs require different planting depths. When you bulbs bloom next spring, fertilize, water, and mulch them, but otherwise, leave them alone. If you choose, remove only the spent flowers heads or seed structure; cutting the tops off or folding and tying the leaves will only interfere with food manufacturing after the bloom and may disrupt the following year’s flowering capacity or even kill the bulb.

These things said, get out there and plant those bulbs now for some truly spectacular and carefree blooms next spring.